


Before the Ball

by emmagrant01



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Written Pre-Deathly Hallows, Yule Ball, old fic, set during Goblet of Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-21
Updated: 2005-12-21
Packaged: 2018-04-07 01:52:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4245021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmagrant01/pseuds/emmagrant01
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[This is an OLD FIC I'm uploading from LJ to AO3. Sorry for the notifications!]</p><p>Cedric has a question for Harry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Ball

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://emmagrant01.livejournal.com/215650.html)

~*~  
  
Harry kept his eyes resolutely ahead as the other students filed past them into the Great Hall in a blur of flowing elegant robes. Parvati clenched his arm and waved a hand in front of his face. He stepped back, startled, but she'd only been waving at a passing friend, it turned out. He tightened his jaw and looked around.   
  
Hermione and Krum were deep in whispered conversation. Harry wondered idly what Ron was going to say when he noticed. Behind them, Cedric and Cho were standing arm in arm. Cedric whispered something to Cho and she laughed, tossing her long dark hair over her shoulder. To Harry's embarrassment, she noticed him watching her and smiled. Harry blushed and looked away, chastising himself yet again for not asking her to the Ball sooner. She'd be standing with _him_ now, her arm looped through his and laughing at something he'd just said. He scowled. Hufflepuffs probably didn't even know any good jokes.  
  
There was a tap on his shoulder. Harry turned and was surprised to see Cedric standing there.  
  
"Can I have a word?" Cedric asked.  
  
Harry frowned at him. "I… we're about to go in."  
  
"It'll just take a moment," Cedric said. He jerked his head towards a nearby alcove.  
  
Harry pressed his lips together. He had no desire to talk to Cedric at the moment, but he had to admit he was curious. Besides, the less time Cedric spent with Cho, the better. "Fine," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Just make it quick, won't you?"  
  
He followed Cedric across the corridor, ignoring the withering look Parvati shot him. Cedric disappeared into the dark alcove, completely hidden from sight. Harry swallowed and looked back at the others before stepping in after him.  
  
"Well?" he asked. He leaned against the stone wall and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his dress robes.  
  
"Look, Cho told me you asked her to the Ball," Cedric said, the words tumbling out in a rush. "And I just wanted to make sure there weren't any hard feelings." Harry's eyes were still adjusting to the darkness and Cedric's face seemed to hover just in front of him. He appeared anxious.   
  
Harry wished he'd refused to talk to him. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, sure his face was red. "I mean… it's fine. She likes you better. I don't blame her, actually."  
  
Cedric seemed taken aback for a moment. "The thing is, I don't… I mean, we're just friends. I got tired of packs of girls following me around and I asked her, just so they'd stop."  
  
"I know the feeling," Harry replied. Cedric's words took a moment to sink in. "So you aren't… I mean, you don't _like_ her?"  
  
"Not like that," Cedric said, his eyes darting over Harry's face. "There's… someone else I like, but I couldn't ask them."  
  
"They were already going with someone else?"   
  
Cedric's lips twisted into a smile. "No. It's a bit complicated."  
  
Harry snorted. "Come on, Cedric -- you're the school champion, and you're the best-looking boy at Hogwarts besides. I'm sure if you'd just asked them--"  
  
"You think I'm good looking?" Cedric asked. It was hard to tell in the dark, but he seemed to be blushing.  
  
"Everyone thinks so," Harry said. "You _do_ have mirrors in the Hufflepuff dorms, don't you?"  
  
Cedric grinned. He seemed to be standing quite close to Harry now. Harry swallowed, wondering why dress robes had to be so _hot_.  
  
"So do you think I should have asked them anyway?" Cedric whispered. He wet his lips with the tip of his tongue, and Harry found the sight oddly fascinating.  
  
"I… sorry?"  
  
Cedric put a hand on the wall beside Harry's head and leaned closer. "The person I really wanted to ask -- do you think it's too late?"  
  
"I… you're already going with Cho," Harry whispered.   
  
"She knows I like someone else." Cedric was so close Harry could barely focus on his face. He could feel warm breath on his cheek, and strangely, it made him shiver. "She understands."  
  
"But… well… the Ball's about to start, isn't it?" Harry stammered.  
  
Cedric smiled. "You haven't answered my question, Harry. Do you think I should ask him?"  
  
Harry blinked, sure he'd heard that wrong. "Him?"  
  
Cedric leaned forward until his lips almost brushed Harry's. "Him," he whispered.   
  
The word fluttered across Harry's lips, tickling them. He held his breath and closed his eyes.  
  
"Diggory! Potter!" McGonagall's voice echoed into the alcove. Cedric leapt backwards, putting several feet between them. Harry blinked, feeling his head swim. "Whenever you're ready, there's a Ball to proceed with!" McGonagall snapped. They could hear her walking away, shoes clattering on the floor.  
  
They rushed out of the alcove after her, neither of them looking at the other. Harry ran a nervous hand through his hair, feeling quite ruffled. He was sure his cheeks were flushed, and his mind was racing. What had just happened?  
  
Parvati's smile was tense, and she practically dragged him through the door. "Smile!" she hissed as they walked into the Great Hall, the gazes of the crowd falling on them. "At least pretend as if you're pleased to be here, will you?"  
  
Ahead of them, Cedric cast a glance over his shoulder. He caught Harry's eye and grinned.  
  
Harry's belly did a little flip, and he smiled.  
  
~*~


End file.
